Arnacœur
by solitaryloner
Summary: A handsome lord. A cheat. A traitor. Put all these together, and you get the man known as Kaito Shion. Women are no more than sources of money, to this love cheat - but one day, he meets his match in a pretty, sheltered little tealette. Or, more accurately, he meets his match in the possessive man who's also trying to court her. KaitoXMikuXLuki. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

_**Solitaryloner: **__Okay, so this story is a KaiMi story. With some LukiMiku thrown in. Scratch that, it's KaitoXMikuXLuki. Ever since I watched aCUTe, I've kind of liked this triangle. It doesn't matter that Kaito is supposed to be the guy stuck in the middle. This isn't a songfic._

_I was going to make this a M rated story, but in the end I decided not to. Though I might change my mind. The story title was not thought up of by me - I don't understand French - and I'll like to thank Rima72 for helping me with the title. Thanks, sweetie._

_I have no fixed headcanon for Kaito, so please don't complain that he seems OOC here. He doesn't always have to be the dumb one, right? This is dedicated to Ten-Faced and delcatty546, whom I know both have a fondness for this pairing. And to anyone else who is an avid shipper of KaiMi, this story is for you, too._

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Kaito Shion had once been a poor man.

A poor soldier. A man of fortune, one could say. Fighting wars on his country's behalf - ah, one could not say that the navy haired man was not a patriot. But eventually, even the most loyal man would notice that...sadly, the life of a soldier was a difficult one. Wars were harsh, life was cruel, and his pay was barely enough to feed his starving belly. Kaito Shion knew, then and there, that he could stay on no longer.

So he upped and left. A deserter. Yes, startling for a man supposedly loyal to his country - but he didn't intend to stay on in this pointless war, facing the risk of dying, every single day. And what for? In the end, he got no recognition for his efforts. The common soldiers were never acknowledged for how hard they worked. It was only their commanding officers. The big people. The powerful ones. They were known.

He, Kaito Shion, would not be known, no matter how hard he struggled on his country's behalf. And what if they didn't win? He was a patriot, but he was not stupid. He knew that they were going to lose the war. The other country was better. The other country was stronger. The other country had weaponry and sheer, overwhelming numbers that they did not have. They would be crushed by their enemies.

So off he went. He was a patriot, but he wasn't one who would sacrifice his life for the sake of his homeland. He was a patriot, but he was a selfish one - which brought to mind the question. Was he really a patriot, then? To tell the truth, Kaito didn't know, himself. Maybe once, he was one. Maybe he was loyal, willing to sacrifice everything - but that was until he stopped being an idiot. Stopped being stupid.

_Because, in this world, it's impossible to find someone who doesn't have a tiny grain of selfishness, nestled deep in their hearts. That's what human beings are. We're selfish. No one can go against that. For people who believe in purity, in selflessness...they're just idiots._

So, the smart, selfish patriot-no-more, ran away from the army. He defected to the enemy side - and strangely, they welcomed him with open arms. They welcomed a traitor into their midst, like placing a fox in a chicken coop. The traitor had to hide a smirk as his former enemies let him enter their ranks. _Idiots. To trust someone who betrayed his own country. How stupid. Foolish. Maybe we could've won, after all._

He squashed that thought. He was no longer a steadfast, loyal soldier to his former home. He was a traitor. He knew the enemies thought to use him as a spy - he was a soldier, after all, and he knew how fighters thought. In times of desperation, they would resort to anything, just so they could win. _People talk of being honest and upright, even in battle. Until they actually enter a bloody war and see all the violence._

_Justice. Being honourable. No more than tales for little children. In times of war, there is no such thing as...being despicable. Resorting to underhanded means isn't anything to be ashamed of. We're human, after all. Using unscrupulous methods, trying to obtain victory in any way we can...that's in our nature. We can't go against that now, can we? _So, smiling graciously, he had accepted their kind offer.

But he was not a man angry at his country. He was simply a man tired of being penniless. Sick of always being unacknowledged, even if he dragged his weary self to his bunk every night, having given his all in a pointless crossfire between his country and the other. There was no anger in him, none at all - if there was, it was only directed at his commanding officers, and that was more of indignation than anger.

Even if he had run away from the war and his country, he did not intend to betray his home. The opposing army offered him money to be their spy, and outwardly, it seemed like he had actually accepted their offer - but he knew that he could make money another way. Perhaps some part of him was still loyal to the place of his birth. All he knew was, he did not have to rely on more bloody army officials for money.

He didn't trust army officials. Two-faced, slimy little bastards, the whole damn lot of them. If he expected them to pay him handsomely for his efforts, then he truly would still have his head stuck up in the clouds. Army life was harsh, the officers were all corrupted, and they didn't give a damn about the people who did all the actual work. He would be lucky if he could even get peanuts from this, for being a spy.

Which was why, the next morning, when the army officials jovially went to the tent he had been given, they received quite a shock - the tent was empty, entirely devoid of all personal belongings. There was no trace that anyone had ever stayed in that tent - everything was in perfect place, and not a single thing had been put out of order. The young traitor was gone.

The officers panicked, naturally - they had lost a source of valuable information. Frantically, they sent out a search party, determined to find the navy haired soldier. But then, the traitor was well-trained, and he knew perfectly well how to elude any search parties. The traitor, the soldier, the patriot-no-more, turned around. The army camp was situated far below him, in the valley between the hills. His lips tilted up.

He gave the camp a sarcastic salute, then turned to face the countryside. This far away from the battle site, the land looked peaceful and pristine. The traitor shouldered his knapsack, his rifle slung casually across his back. His smile becoming more genuine, he set off down the hill, away from the war, away from the hunger, away from the lack of recognition. He could become rich. And he'd do it his way.

Kaito Shion knew that he was a very handsome man. It was one of the things about himself he was rather proud of. And, he knew precisely how to use his good looks to his advantage.

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_Two years later._

''You look absolutely stunning today, my love,'' the former traitor smiled, noting the way the young woman blushed, at his intense gaze. ''I must not lay my eyes off you, not for even an instant, lest some terrible fiend decides to steal you away while I am not watching,'' he toasted her, then raised the wineglass to his lips. The rich wine within, a deep shade of red, tasted wonderfully, tantalisingly bitter on his tongue.

''You flatter me, Lord Shion,'' she murmured, subtly using her fan to cover part of her face - and that pink blush, which he knew was slowly creeping across her pale cheeks. ''I am not as lovely as the Lady Sakine,'' Kaito Shion stiffened at the name, as the young girl continued. ''She was a truly stunning beauty. If I may be so bold as to ask, why did the young Lord ever decide to leave the Lady's side?'' she sounded...curious.

Lord Kaito Shion. He had not been born into the aristocratic class, into the nobility. Instead, he had once been a poor man. A poor soldier. _A man of fortune, one could say. _A small smirk curved his lips, and it went unnoticed by the girl standing before him. ''Why, quite simple, love,'' he purred, rising from his armchair. The girl gasped, her gaze never leaving his as he stood at his full height, a good head taller than her.

''You see...'' he walked towards her, his voice dropping to a seductive whisper, ''she was beginning to bore me,'' he leant down, letting the words snake into her ear. Softly. Teasingly. Alluringly. The girl shivered, and he knew that she had bitten her lip, to hold back a moan. He smiled, satisfied at the effect his words could bring about. ''Anyway, back to the matter at hand,'' he rose back up. ''The ball, tonight?''

The girl seemed to shake herself. She was Pika Utatane, the young daughter of Duke Utatane. ''I shall be there to accompany you, my Lord,'' she murmured, curtseying gracefully. Then, the faint blush still on her face, she excused herself and left the room. The moment the girl was gone, Kaito let his smile fade, returning to its more usual expression of boredom. Sighing, he ran his fingers through his thick, navy blue hair.

Life was easy. Life was boring. The only thing fun he ever did was...well, nothing, actually. He toyed with women so much that he didn't find it particularly...interesting, anymore. Maybe it had been amusing, in the beginning. Until he got bored of using people for their money. Idly, Kaito glanced around the room, eyeing the ostentatious wealth and decadence the room exuded - all this. Within a mere two years.

It came as a slight surprise to him, that until now, women had yet to report his misdeeds to the authorities. Then again, what could they say? They had given him their money of their own free will. Women adored the proverbial...what did they call it? The proverbial _bad boy. _Women fell hard for him, each and every one believing that the rumours couldn't be as bad as they seemed. Believing they could change him, make him reform, make him love them.

The thoughts of fools. Many of them were so far gone that, even though they knew he was simply making use of them, making use of their wealth, they gladly submitted themselves to him. They freely gave their riches away - Kaito had never once held a woman at gunpoint, demanding that she give him a slice of her fortune. They were all rich ladies - he preyed solely on the daughters of the upper class.

There was a knock on the door. Kaito jerked out of his reverie, his gaze fixing on said door. ''Come in,'' he called, sitting back down on his chair, lacing his fingers together. There was a brief pause, and then the door opened. One of his maids stepped in, giving him a deep curtsey. Kaito remained impassive, despite noticing the pink blush on her face - he never bothered to seduce women unless they were...wealthy.

''Master Shion,'' the maid murmured - what was her name now? Gumi, if he recalled correctly. ''Earl Kamui is here to visit you. He says that he has some important business to settle,'' the green haired girl clasped her hands behind her back, looking down as she tried to avoid his gaze. Her green fringe fell forward, obscuring her face from his view. Kaito arched a slender eyebrow, wondering what the earl wanted.

''Let him in,'' he said, his voice dismissive. ''Bring out some wine, too. The sixty year old Scotch. It's his favourite,'' Gumi nodded quickly, before she curtsied again, excusing herself from his study. Kaito sat up in his armchair, reaching out to the desk before him to shuffle some papers. Ever since he was given the title of 'Lord', the paperwork he had to deal with had been steadily accumulating. It was tedious.

He looked through the sheath of papers - they were mostly letters, left on his table this morning by his butler. Not that Kaito had a chance to read through the letters yet, since Pika Utatane had shown up in his home, bright and early in the morning. And he had no choice but to entertain her - if he had turned her away from his study, he would have lost another source of...money. Slowly, his lips tilted up.

He was to be her escort to the ball tonight. The one being hosted by the Hatsunes. Not that he was particularly interested in that noble family, since they had no daughter. The only reason he even agreed to attend the ball was because...balls were where he did his work. Balls were where the wealthy aristocrats came to mingle, and what better opportunity was there to decide his next target, other than at a ball?

Idly, Kaito wondered what was the point of the Hatsunes hosting a ball. It wasn't like there was some big occasion or such - Mikuo Hatsune's birthday had passed a month ago, and he didn't recall any other noteworthy event being listed on his calendar. In the end, he decided not to question too much. There was a ball, he would be going, and Pika Utatane would fall even harder for him there. That, he would ensure.

He would see whether any other woman at the ball was capable of catching his attention...he stopped shuffling the letters, as one particular envelope caught his eye. Curious, he regarded the familiar seal - the seal of the Kagamine family. They were one of the wealthier families in the country, and he had been to their balls before. Several times. Len and Rin Kagamine, the two children, were too young to interest him much, so he never paid them attention.

Who he did notice were their elder siblings - Rinto and Lenka Kagamine. Rinto was one year older than Lenka. He had noticed the beautiful blonde shooting him interested glances, on more than one occasion. Perhaps, she would be at the Hatsune family's ball tonight...taking a letter opener from his table, he eased the sharp blade under the seal, opening the envelope. A single piece of cream parchment fell out.

Tilting his head, he picked up the letter. _Dear Lord Shion, _he read, _I have recently discovered that you will be attending the Hatsune family's ball, tonight. Likewise, I have long accepted their invitation, and it came as a pleasant surprise to know you will be going. I know it is likely that you already have a partner, as the ball takes place tonight - but, I must admit, I am looking forward to seeing you there._

The letter was written by Lenka Kagamine. He sighed, then smiled and shook his head. Yes, he had to admit that he was looking forward to seeing her there, as well. He set the parchment down on the table - at the same time, someone knocked impatiently on his door, and Kaito immediately knew who it was. It could not possibly be any of his servants, since none of them would ever be so...disrespectful.

''Come in, Gakupo,'' he said languidly, taking Lenka's letter off his desk and subtly putting it in a drawer, under the table. Earl Kamui came into the room, his long purple hair tied into his usual high ponytail. Kaito resisted the urge to roll his eyes - he had to wonder why the earl preferred to keep his hair so long. Did he not find it ridiculously flamboyant? ''I see that, as always, you have yet to find some manners.''

The earl snorted. ''You might want to speak for yourself, Kaito,'' he said, voice haughty. ''You _are _going for the ball tonight, aren't you?'' Gakupo moved forward, sitting on the chair opposite Kaito's. He leant back in the chair, looking every inch the pampered, wealthy noble - which, of course, he was. Kaito just nodded, his eyes drifting back to the unopened stack of letters on the table. Internally, he let out a groan.

He hated paperwork. Letters from the King, letters from other aristocrats, letters from his business partners - Kaito didn't just rely on women for his source of income - all of them seeking his attention in one way or another. He wondered if this was a downside of being one of the wealthy. ''Well, I just found out - from a good friend of both myself and the Hatsunes - that the ball is meant to celebrate a birthday.''

''Whose?'' Kaito asked, rather absent-mindedly - his mind was focused on other things. He opened the letter with the royal seal on it - the king was apparently asking him for a 'more accurate' summary of his tax payments. Kaito knew that, out of all the nobles in the country, he was the one who paid the least tax. Well, it wasn't his fault that only half of his immense wealth came from his trading business.

''Their daughter's birthday, of course,'' came the offhanded reply. The words took a few seconds to register in Kaito's mind - when he finally comprehended what the purple haired man just said, his head shot up, shooting him a wide-eyed look of disbelief. Gakupo saw the look on his face, and he shrugged, looking unconcerned. ''I knew you would react that way, Kaito. I was just like you, when I first heard about this.''

''The Hatsunes have a _daughter_?'' Kaito's voice rang with disbelief. ''Don't they have only one child? Mikuo Hatsune, twenty-one years of age? Where did this...daughter come from?'' The Hatsune noble family had never before said anything about having another child. A girl, no less. There were plenty of rumours about the Hatsunes once having a daughter, but it was widely accepted that the girl had passed away due to sickness, when she was an infant.

''Yes. Remember the infant rumour? Apparently, it's true...partially. The child didn't die. She was frail and sickly after she recovered, though, so her parents locked her away in their home in order to keep her safe. They feared that letting her out, letting her talk to strangers like...us, might agitate her, so they have kept her a secret throughout all these years,'' Gakupo said delicately. ''Apparently, it's her birthday.''

''But why now, of all times?'' Kaito was slowly coming to terms with his new discovery, and curiosity now took the place of shock. ''Why did they finally let her into the...real world, as one might say, if they have locked her away for so long?'' he wondered whether he ought to pity the girl. Being locked away for her whole life...it couldn't be a particularly pleasant experience. He wondered how old this daughter was.

''It's her eighteenth birthday today,'' Gakupo explained. ''Eighteen is, as we all know, the age where we are no longer under the control of our parents. Where, by law, they can no longer decide our every move. Likely, she decided that she has had enough of being cooped up all the time. She ought to be at the ball tonight,'' Gakupo smiled a little. ''I wonder what she looks like? I don't even know her name.''

Kaito had to wonder, too. ''Who told you all this?'' he asked, curious. Might it be no more than just rumours and hearsay? After all, Earl Kamui might have heard all this from a...well, an unreliable source. The earl was known to have friends in both high and low places.

''The Megurine family. They have been friends with the Hatsunes for decades, as everyone knows. You know,'' Gakupo added, at the look of confusion on Kaito's face, ''the one with Luki Megurine and his little sister, Luka? The very, very pretty sixteen-year-old? Her?'' That rang a bell, and Kaito blinked. Gakupo smirked. ''I knew the mention of a lovely girl would jolt your memory,'' he said, almost teasingly.

Kaito shook his head. ''Too young for me,'' he murmured. ''Anyway, I take it that this means...Luki and Luka know about the Hatsune girl?'' Gakupo nodded, and after a while, Kaito just shrugged. ''Well, then what we know isn't particularly exclusive. I look forward to meeting this girl, whatever she looks like. After all, everyone thinks that she doesn't exist...I feel that tonight will be a most amusing night.''

''Do you intend to use her? The Hatsunes are very rich, after all,'' Gakupo asked, curious. He was one of Kaito's closest friends - at least, he was a friend Kaito hadn't gotten close to just so he could make use of him - and he knew that Kaito's main reason for toying with women was so he could con them out of their money. He was a love cheat, someone who took advantage of people's feelings for him, robbing them blind. _It's their own fault for being so gullible._

Kaito had quite the reputation for being a bit of a...playboy. Well, perhaps 'a bit' was rather inaccurate. He changed his female companions as frequently as he changed his clothes, yet women couldn't help falling for his charms, for his silver tongue. Even after he cheated them out of their money, some of them still clung on to him, believing that they could move him with their loyalty. With their selfless _love _for him.

They thought that, if he saw how willing they were to sacrifice everything for his sake, he might return them their money...perhaps even marry them, afterwards. Believing that, if they managed to cling on to him enough, he would eventually fall for them as well. It all sounded like something out of a trashy romance novel.

Such a pity, because he was never going to turn over a new leaf. He was a traitor through and through, and once he pocketed the money, the women would never see it again. Sometimes, he wanted to laugh at just how foolish all these noblewomen were. Believing that no one would dare to cheat a noble out of her fortune. _He, _a noble just like them, dared to do such a thing. Why? Because he was nothing but a traitor.

A traitor wallowing in the wealth of women. Kaito glanced at his wineglass on the table, half-filled with red wine. Gumi had yet to come back with the scotch, and he wondered why there was such a hold-up. Reaching out, he picked the wineglass off the table, holding it up to his lips again, savouring the taste of wine. It was bitter. Tart. Deliciously so. ''Do you think it goes against my morals to use a woman?''

There was a timid knock, and Kaito knew that Gumi was back. He called out for her, and the green haired servant came in, holding on to a bottle of the precious scotch. She set it down on his table, blushing all the while, and once that was done, she rushed out of the room again. Kaito opened the bottle - he had a bottle opener in one of his drawers - and he poured the honey coloured liquid into a glass. Gakupo took it.

Then he raised it out to Kaito's own glass. ''Well, a toast to a love cheat would be in order, I suppose,'' he murmured. ''Would you want my blessings for when you go to the ball, tonight? Things might not go the way you plan, Kaito. After all, no one knows what this Hatsune girl is like, since we've never seen her before. She might not be interested in you, you know.''

Kaito smirked. ''Blessings? Just to make this girl fall for me?'' he said slowly, sipping at his wine, closing his eyes in enjoyment. ''I have never once needed anyone's blessings...'' he let his eyes flick open, his smirk widening imperceptibly. ''This time will be no different.''

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_**Solitaryloner: **__I don't quite...like this chapter. It didn't really turn out the way I wanted it to. It sounded...better in my head, you know? _

_When I think of Kaito here, I think of him in Judgement of Corruption. I mean, they're not exactly the same, but both of them are really greedy...and anyway, I like Kaito in that video. Especially with the psychotic smile on his face. I'd like to imagine this Kaito is like that, too._

_Review? I like reviews. They mean a lot to me, even if I...tend not to reply to reviewers. But really, I'll be thanking every single reviewer from the bottom of my heart. Thanks!_


	2. Chapter 2

It was seven pm. And, as the ball invitation requested, Kaito had arrived at the Hatsune residence, Pika Utatane holding on to his arm.

He had made an effort to dress up, in order to show some respect to his hosts - his normally unruly hair was neatly combed and slicked back, and he had reluctantly worn a tie. As well as a formal suit. Kaito was, frankly, not too fond of wearing suits. Perhaps it was something left over from his days as a soldier. Looking nice, looking formal...all things that he still wasn't used to, despite being one of the wealthy.

Perhaps, dressing up nicely was what he hated the most, when he went to attend functions such as these. He showed his invitation card to the butler at the door - if he recalled correctly, the name of the Hatsunes' butler was Hakuo. Hakuo Yowane. The tall, silver haired man glanced at the card, then nodded and allowed Kaito to enter the residence, Pika by his side. The navy haired man looked around the place.

It was as large and luxurious as he recalled. The Hatsunes were a very...wealthy family. ''Shall we make our way to the ballroom, my sweet?'' he smiled at Pika. The slender girl blushed at his intense scrutiny, then nodded, wordlessly agreeing with whatever he said. He held back a self-satisfied smile - no point in letting her glimpse such an expression on his face - as he led the way to the ballroom.

He knew where it was, since he had come to the Hatsunes' residence, before. They had one of the largest ballrooms in the country, almost as large as that of the royal palace. As they walked along the carpeted corridor, towards the ballroom, Kaito could hear the faint strains of music being played. It seemed as if the ball had already started, even though the guests were supposed to come only at seven.

''Have you met the Hatsunes before?'' Pika's voice was quiet, but he didn't miss her question. Kaito looked down at her - she was staring straight ahead, a look of nervousness on her pretty face. He felt he knew why. This was her first ball...well, her first ball with such a prestigious family, anyway. He could recall being almost as nervous as her, when he attended his first ever ball. Two years ago...

''Yes, I have. They're...very welcoming,'' he tried to reassure her, feeling a little sorry for the petite maiden. ''Especially the Lord and the Lady. Their son, Mikuo Hatsune, can be a little impatient at times, but he is...not mean. It is no different from any other ball, though I must say that their balls are much grander than others. You have nothing to fear,'' he smiled at her.

Pika smiled back, though the smile looked a little strained. ''Well, I know that my brother is already there, so even if I do not feel like mingling with the others, I still have him. As well as you, of course,'' her smile widened. Kaito chose not to respond verbally to that, but he nodded to show that he had heard her. Pika glanced away from him once again.

Finally, they arrived at the ballroom, the large doors opening wide to reveal the spacious room beyond. It was a grand, rich old place, the Hatsune ballroom - lovely crystal chandeliers, an intricate fountain that poured forth red wine, and an entire orchestra of violinists, all to serve as entertainment for the guests. ''I see your brother,'' Kaito leant down to whisper to his companion. ''Over there, by the fountain.''

''Yes, I see him,'' Pika mumbled, her grip on his arm tightening. ''Surrounded by a group of fawning admirers, as always,'' she sounded exasperated, and Kaito wanted to smirk - her brother wasn't very much different from Kaito himself. ''I think I shall have a little talk with him, before he ends up shaming our father. Father has told him before, to be more dignified during social functions. Clearly, Piko has not been listening. If you would excuse me...''

With those words, Pika let go of Kaito's arm, moving off in the direction of her twin brother. Piko Utatane saw his sister coming, a look of determination on her elfin face, and instantly melted away from the group of young women surrounding him. At this, Kaito just shook his head, amusement flickering through him. He wondered whether Piko was like him...or if the silver haired boy just happened to be a flirt.

Kaito's gaze drifted idly across the ballroom. He saw Gakupo, his purple hair tied into something almost like a chignon, talking to Luki and Luka Megurine in a corner of the ballroom. Kaito knew to stay clear of them - Luki Megurine was not fond of Kaito's womanising ways. The only reason Luki knew what Kaito did was because the Megurine family had connections with the Sakines. Speaking of the Sakine family...

''Well, there you are, Kaito,'' came the falsely sweet voice - he knew the sweetness was used to mask the venom nestling deep within the woman's heart, and he put on an expression of neutrality before he turned around, regarding the speaker. Meiko Sakine smiled up at him, her sleek brown hair in its usual elegant bob, her crimson eyes narrowed. ''I wondered if you would be here. Looking for another victim.''

She was wearing a figure-hugging scarlet dress, black lace trimming the sides. She was also wearing black, fingerless gloves, all the way up to her elbows. Kaito beamed at her. ''Why, my dear Meiko, you look wonderful tonight,'' he exclaimed. ''A truly stunning beauty, one ought to say. Just like a siren, tugging at the strings of my heart,'' he placed a hand over his chest, putting on an expression of utmost longing.

Meiko just rolled her eyes. ''Oh, spare me the misery,'' she said, voice sharp. ''As if I would ever fall for you again. Since I lost half of my fortune to you,'' her voice lowered, becoming something more like a feral hiss. Kaito simply blinked at her, looking innocent. He shrugged, absent-mindedly raking his fingers through his navy hair. It was an annoying habit of his.

''Why, Meiko, I have completely no idea what you're talking about,'' he said, his eyes widening a little. ''Are you implying that I forced you to give me half your fortune?'' he gasped, looking horrified at the thought. ''Because I did not do such a thing, you know. In fact, if I can recall correctly...'' he paused, meeting her red eyes, ''you were the one who gave me all that money, of your own free will,'' his smile turned sly.

''You conned me into giving you money, you cheat!'' she raised her voice - enough to show that she was angry, but not enough to attract the attention of the people nearby. ''As if one woman wasn't enough, you're here to find more girls to prey on!'' her fingers clenched into fists. Kaito noticed that, and he chuckled, shaking his head. He knew he had the upper hand here.

''My, my. You shouldn't get so worked up about this, Meiko. I hear that being angry too often will give you wrinkles,'' he brushed some imaginary lint off his jacket, straightening his tie as he spoke. ''If, my dear, you feel so very...indignant about this issue, then why did you not report me to the authorities?'' he leant towards her, smiling in amusement. Meiko drew back, blinking at his sudden close proximity to her.

''Because -'' she cut her own words off, her red eyes narrowing dangerously at him. Kaito tilted his head, still waiting for a reply, and finally the beautiful brunette turned away. ''I have no time to waste on you and your pointless questions,'' she announced, sounding disdainful. ''I came here to enjoy myself, not to get frustrated at the sight of your repugnant face.'' With those words, she swept away from him. He sighed.

She was always so amusing. He found it quite a pity that she had decided to cut their little conversation short. It was fun, watching her get angry whenever he ran into her. He knew that the sight of him flustered her...even though she claimed she hated him, she didn't, not really.

None of them ever did hate him, no matter how much money he had cheated them out of. Which was why none of them ever reported him to the authorities. Because, apparently, they all loved him too much to want to see his pretty face behind bars. Women. He would never know why they were all this way. So...forgiving? Was that the word? No, not really. Women were just so strange, and he couldn't understand them.

Pika was apparently still tracking her brother down. Despite the girl's ethereal, pixie-like looks, she had the stubbornness of a dog with a bone. Once she decided to start on something, she wouldn't give up until she had seen it through. Kaito might have liked her, were it not for the fact that...well, she just didn't appeal to him, not really. It wasn't her fault. He was simply rather fussy, when it came to women.

Yes, he didn't mind who the woman was, so long as she was rich - but that only applied to when he wanted wealth. If it came to actual love, to actual affection...he didn't know what he was looking for. None of the women who came to him ever appealed to him, other than on a physical level. Kaito had to wonder if he was even capable of love, after all this...

He had no idea what he sought in a woman. But then, he didn't mind that. It wasn't like he was looking to settle down, anyway. He was young, and he was wealthy - that was more than good enough for him, especially since he did not intend to ever have children. He certainly did enjoy the_process _of creating a child, but when it came to having an actual infant...he wasn't very enthusiastic about the thought of a baby.

He didn't like babies. He didn't even like young children. They were no more than senseless, dirty little beasts, with no choice other than to rely on their parents, for survival. Weak, soft and helpless. And they would be a waste of his valuable resources. Kaito much preferred to have all his money, kept to himself. Another reason why he did not wish to have a spouse.

Teal hair caught his eye, and he glanced around - there was Mikuo Hatsune, the young, rash son of the Hatsunes. Someone Kaito had long thought to be an only child. He was two years younger than Kaito himself, at the age of twenty-one, and it appeared that he had been forced by his parents to greet all of the guests who had come to the ball. There was an ill-concealed look of impatience on his face.

As Kaito watched Mikuo greet a pair of elderly women, he noticed that the teal haired man's arm was wrapped around someone - his eyes widened. It was a girl. There was a slender girl, dressed in deep, emerald green, hiding against Mikuo's side. He couldn't see her face - the girl was pressed against the young aristocrat, and all he could see of her was her back - but, seeing the long teal hair she possessed, so like Mikuo's own...no doubt, she was his sister.

What was her name, and what did she look like? Kaito couldn't help feeling curious about all that. So, he approached the teal haired pair - the elderly couple had finally moved off, and Mikuo was wearing a distinct look of relief on his face. The girl still hadn't turned away from her brother's side, almost as though...she was using him as a shield. Yes, that was right. The girl was using him to hide from everyone.

''Master Mikuo,'' Kaito greeted the aristocrat, making him look around in surprise. ''It is a fine ball your family has organised tonight, as fine as any royal ball the palace could hold...but I must wonder, what is the point of having such a grand event, tonight?'' he smiled, acting like he had completely no idea that Mikuo had a sister. Mikuo's strained smile returned to his face.

''Oh, Lord Shion,'' he said easily. ''On behalf of my parents, I accept your compliments. And as for the purpose of this ball...it's to celebrate my little sister's eighteenth birthday, you see,'' his strained smile softened, becoming slightly more genuine. Kaito observed the tealette stepping even closer towards her brother, burying her face in his side. Her hands were gripping Mikuo's arm tightly. Like she was...scared.

Kaito feigned shock. ''You...you have a little sister?'' he tilted his head. ''But all along, I thought you were an only child...'' Mikuo just sighed at those words, looking down at the girl clutching on to his arm. She shook her head a little, her grip seeming to tighten further.

''Well, my parents hid her away all these years since she was rather...frail. And sickly. She was very weak, physically, and we didn't want to risk her getting hurt, or the like. But, now that she's finally eighteen, we decided that she should be allowed to see the world...if she wants to. She apparently does not want to step out of the mansion. So, as a compromise, we held a ball, and brought the world to her.''

Ah...so he and Gakupo were both wrong in their speculation, then. It wasn't that the Hatsune daughter had demanded that a ball be held, to acknowledge her existence and her eighteenth birthday - rather, the ball had been hosted so that she could socialise, instead of just staying in her home all the time. Kaito felt that this was very...shy behaviour. Too shy, in fact. Just like a little mouse - meek, mild and unassuming.

''I take it that this maiden is your sister, then?'' Kaito asked, indicating the tealette sticking to Mikuo. Mikuo nodded, a hint of exasperation creeping into his eyes - but that impatience was tempered by a tender adoration that Kaito had never before seen the man wear. ''She seems to be...very attached to you,'' Kaito said mildly.

''I know,'' came the low mutter. Mikuo turned to the tealette, who refused to let go of his arm. ''Sweetheart, please. You promised me that you would greet the next person who came to talk to us, remember? Are you breaking your promise to me?'' he murmured, lightly patting the girl on her head. She had worn her hair up in a loose, elaborate chignon, and it exposed her pale neck. Her pale, elegant neck...

Kaito realised he was staring, and promptly looked away. The girl mumbled something in response, but it was too soft for Kaito to hear, exactly, what she said. Nevertheless, he took it that her response had not been very positive, given the way Mikuo sighed, sounding rather frustrated. ''You can't just hide behind me all the time, sweetheart,'' he tried. ''Please. Just talk to someone, okay? For me? For your brother?''

Slowly, those fingers loosened from around Mikuo's arm. The little tealette hesitated - Kaito could tell that she was still reluctant to leave her brother's side - but finally, she edged out from behind Mikuo, still holding loosely on to his arm. Kaito blinked at the sight of her face - the girl was stunning. Absolutely stunning.

She looked just like her brother. There was an obvious resemblance between the two siblings. But, her features were softer. Younger. Her lips were fuller, her eyes were bigger, her face was less sharp and angular. Their relation could not be denied - even an idiot could tell that this girl was part of the Hatsune family. Though no one, no outsider, had ever laid eyes on her before.

She was shorter than her brother, reaching to a little beyond his shoulders. Kaito knew that he was much taller than her - he was taller than even her brother, though it was only by a little. ''Good evening, Lord Shion,'' the girl said softly, a small, angelic smile curving her lips. Her vivid green eyes shone with an innocent purity that made her look younger than her actual age. Eighteen. ''My name is Miku. Miku Hatsune.''

Once those words were said, she retreated back into Mikuo's side, burying her face against him once more. Mikuo shook his head, but smiled indulgently at her, anyway. ''She can be quite shy,'' he offered, as an explanation. ''I suppose that it's because she has never really spoken to anyone outside of our family, before.''

Kaito was only half-listening. The tealette...she was very pretty, he mused. And if she was truly as shy as she seemed...if she really was that sheltered from the world, then it would be a ridiculously simple matter to manipulate her into doing what he wanted. And, if he managed to make her fall for him...the Hatsune family's fortune. He would be able to take the wealth of one of the richest families in the country.

''Is she promised?'' he asked, making Mikuo stiffen in surprise, at the unexpected question. Instantly, those green eyes narrowed, a look of obvious protectiveness in his gaze. It seemed as though Mikuo was highly protective of his little sister - that was one obstacle he would have to overcome, if he wanted to get close to Miku.

Miku...that was her name. He supposed that it wasn't too much of a surprise, given that the name of her brother was Mikuo. Miku and Mikuo Hatsune. ''Well, not exactly,'' Mikuo hedged, turning around to glance at Miku. The tealette had not appeared to react in any way, at the sound of Kaito's question. ''But, Lord Shion, if you like my sister...I should warn you, you're not the only interested party around.''

Kaito was just about to ask Mikuo who the other person was, when suddenly, Miku let go of her brother. The unexpected action startled them both, and they stared at the petite tealette. ''Look!'' she giggled. ''It's Master Luki!'' without another word, the frail, delicate, shy maiden ran off in the direction of the aforementioned aristocrat, who looked around, evidently startled by her unexpected outburst.

''And there's the other interested party,'' Mikuo murmured, as Miku ran into Luki's arms, laughing all the while. Luki grinned down at her, ruffling her teal hair playfully. Miku just slapped his hands away, reaching up to make sure her hair was still fine. ''Though,'' Mikuo added, ''I'm very certain that Miku has no idea that Luki's interest is...more than platonic.''

Kaito arched an eyebrow. ''They appear to have known each other for quite a while,'' he said, staring at the tealette the whole time. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully - so his rival would be Luki, then? Kaito didn't want to lose his latest money pot to the Megurine idiot. And, like Mikuo had said, the girl wasn't promised to anyone...not yet, anyway. So he still had a chance.

''Well, the Megurines have been friends with us for a long time. Luki and Luka Megurine both know that Miku exists. And, if you're wondering to what extent Luki is interested in my sister,'' Mikuo's lips tilted into a smirk at those words, ''let's just say that he has been...fond of her, from the very moment he laid eyes upon her. About, what, thirteen or so years ago?''

Thirteen years. Kaito used the pretence of a cough to hide a laugh. Thirteen years of love and devotion, yet Miku Hatsune still didn't know Luki was...interested in her? It appeared that she knew little about romance and non-platonic relationships. Or perhaps she was simply too obtuse to understand what was going on. Either way, Kaito didn't care. It wasn't going to affect him at all, since Miku didn't appear to return Luki's feelings for her. At least, not yet...

Miku was now returning to her brother, Luki following her, his blue eyes fixed thoughtfully on the tealette. ''Mikuo?'' her voice was still rather soft. ''Luki says that he wants to look for Mother and Father...he says that he wants to discuss something with them, now that I'm finally eighteen...'' instinctively, Kaito knew exactly what Luki wanted to talk about.

Mikuo seemed to understand as well, and he shot Kaito a careful look. ''Father and Mother are in their room. They said that they would come down to greet the guests at eight. I don't think you should...interrupt them, now,'' the teal haired lord said tactfully, leaving Kaito with no doubt about just_what _his parents were doing in their room. Miku just blinked, Mikuo's subtle hint flying way over her head. She nodded.

Nevertheless, she walked away from the three of them, where to Kaito had no idea. It seemed that she had become a little more sociable, at the sight of Luki. Luki stared after her for a while, then smiled and looked back at Mikuo. ''Really, each time I see her, she gets more and more charming. More lovely. She's an ethereal wisp of a beauty -'' Luki's words were cut off as he saw Kaito, standing next to Mikuo.

At once, Luki's voice turned flat and toneless. ''What are you doing here?'' he asked, not even bothering to address Kaito. Kaito wondered if he should bother to feel insulted by that, but in the end, he decided that it didn't matter at all. After all, getting upset by this little issue would be like...like a king, being upset by one of his servants. There was no point in wasting his energy because of such a minor matter.

''I was invited to the ball, just like you,'' Kaito replied, his tone honeyed. ''Why, am I on a blacklist of sorts?'' Luki's blue eyes narrowed, before he finally nodded, apparently having no comeback to that. He shot Mikuo a brief smile, then went off in the direction of his sister, Luka Megurine. Kaito resisted the urge to roll his eyes - Luki was always so hostile, and he had no idea why...no, wait. Actually, he knew why.

''Why don't you mingle around, Lord Shion?'' Mikuo sounded rather bemused. ''I ought to find my sister before she goes off to search for our parents...I don't want to expose her to that. She's too innocent. Enjoy your night, Lord Shion. As for your interest in my sister...perhaps you could discuss that with my parents, when they finally leave their room,'' with those words, the young lord swept away, searching for Miku.

Kaito idly ran his fingers through his thick hair, deciding to do exactly what the young noble had suggested. To mix and mingle. His gaze roamed the ballroom, trying to see whether Pika was still around, or whether she had finally caught up with her twin brother - when, suddenly, he heard someone saying his name. A somewhat familiar voice, the voice of a young woman.

He turned. There stood Lenka Kagamine, in a beautiful dress of orange and black - a dress which showed off her wonderful figure, and showed off her pretty face in its true perfection. He smiled. ''The Lady Lenka,'' he bowed, reaching out to take her hand - pressing her hand to his lips, he let the kiss linger for a while, before he finally released her. ''I do not lie when I say you look gorgeous, tonight.''

''Ah, Lord Shion, you're such a charmer,'' the lovely blonde giggled, using a golden fan to cover her face. ''Shall we dance?'' came the soft murmur, as the music of the violinists changed, becoming something more...waltz-like. Slow and elegant. Kaito looked at the centre of the ballroom - sure enough, couples were starting to form, people leading the way as they moved to the rhythm of the music. He nodded.

Lenka placed her hand in his, and Kaito hid a smile as he led them to the centre of the room. He was a love cheat, and he had to admit that he wouldn't give up being one for anything.

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_**Solitaryloner: **__I still think I can do better, but I don't know what, exactly, is it about the chapter which leaves me so...unsatisfied._

_Anyway. What do you guys think of this chapter? Am I making things too rushed? It feels rushed to me. Sort of. A little._


	3. Chapter 3

_Where are you? _Mikuo still couldn't find his sister. And that was worrying him a great deal. Even though he did want her to socialise...

''Master Mikuo!'' someone called out for him. Reluctantly, Mikuo stopped, turning around to face the person. Blue eyes met his, the eyes of a man with chin-length bright blond hair and a slightly too-long fringe, which he had pinned up with the usage of hairpins. Rinto Kagamine, the oldest son of the Marquess Kagamine. Mikuo resisted the urge to sigh, feeling frustrated.

Nevertheless, he forced a smile onto his face. He rather liked Rinto, actually - the young lord wasn't as uptight and stuffy as most of the aristocrats. In fact, Rinto Kagamine reminded Mikuo of himself, with his stubbornness and general disregard for authority. It wasn't the young man's fault that he had interrupted Mikuo, while the latter was in the midst of searching for his precious, frail baby sister.

''Yes, Master Rinto?'' he asked, a bright, cheery smile plastered onto his face. The other noble paused, raising an eyebrow - this was the first time he had ever heard Mikuo Hatsune sounding so...happy. The teal haired aristocrat was known for being impatient, rash and hotheaded. Cheerfulness was not a trait the young Hatsune lord was known to possess. Rinto coughed.

''Ah, well...I was looking for Len and Rin, and I was wondering whether you have seen them?'' he asked sheepishly, raking his fingers through his blond hair. Mikuo blinked, taking a while to register what the marquess had said - when he was finally able to understand what was going on, sheer horror filled his expression. Rinto sighed, knowing what was going to happen next. This...nervous breakdown always came.

''You...you brought those two monsters along?'' Mikuo hissed, panic evident in his voice. ''Rinto, your siblings happen to be a pair of eight year old brats! No matter where they go, chaos and destruction follows!'' Mikuo was on the verge of shaking the young marquess, in a futile attempt to knock some sense into him. ''Why? Why must you do this to my family, tonight of all nights?''

''Well, I apologise!'' Rinto said hotly. ''Len and Rin kept pestering our parents, demanding that they be allowed to attend the ball tonight...our parents finally gave in and let them come. I had no say in this matter - what's more, I'm the one who's supposed to be their nanny,'' Rinto rolled his blue eyes. ''I take it that you haven't seen either of those two, then?'' he added, as an afterthought. He received a glare in response.

''The last time those two attended a ball, they ended up destroying the ballroom because one of them decided it would be 'fun' to set fire to the curtains, and swing from the chandeliers,'' Mikuo gritted out. ''I am not allowing the same thing to happen here. You go search for them at the fountain. I remember that they tried to paddle in the wine fountain before. I'll look for them outside the ballroom. Understood?''

Rinto nodded, and the two aristocrats parted ways, each determined to find the demon twins before they could ruin the night. _Why? Why now, of all times? Now, not only do I have to find Miku, I have to look for the twins too, _Mikuo cursed his life. _Damn this ball to Hell. _First, his parents forced him to greet all of the guests, in their place. Then his baby sister went off, alone, to God knew where. And now this?

The Kagamine twins. He really didn't know how those two angelic-looking children could be so...demonic. They were little devils, always in search of trouble, and if Mikuo didn't find them soon, this ball was going to end up a fiasco. He hoped to God that his sister wouldn't stumble across them, wherever she was now. He knew that dealing with the tiny twin fiends would, no doubt, traumatise his delicate little sister.

Where on Earth could all three of them be?

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Young Rin and Len Kagamine were wandering through the Hatsune Manor, searching for something to entertain themselves with.

They knew that they were in luck when they stumbled across a grand, ornate stairway. On either side of the stairway, there was a very, very long, polished marble banister. Instantly, the twins exchanged a look, their lips tilting up into evil grins. ''So, Len. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?'' Rin asked her brother, eyeing the banisters with a gleeful look of intent.

''Why, Rin, I'm fairly certain that I'm thinking what you're thinking,'' the blond male replied, his evil smile mirroring his sister's.

''We're thinking of the same thing!'' they both chorused, dashing up the stairs, all the way to the very top. Len got onto the left banister, while Rin took control of the right one. They exchanged another look, excitement filling their faces. They had never slid down such a long banister before. This would be...very fun.

''On the count of three!'' Rin announced. ''One...two...three!'' with that, she and Len pushed off from their positions, both of them whooshing down the banisters as they cackled hysterically, feeling the wind whipping past their faces.

Right when they were about to reach the very end, sliding off the banisters to land on the thickly-carpeted floor, someone walked into the passage. Right in front of Len. It took the boy a few seconds to register that he was going to land right on someone - the moment he opened his mouth to scream, he slid off the banister, crashing right into the unfortunate person. Both of them went down onto the floor.

Len ended up sitting on the person's stomach. Whoever it was groaned, their hand fluttering up to their forehead. Len stared at the person. ''Excuse me, are you dead?'' he asked. He was ignored, which further cemented the theory that this person was dead. At this moment, Rin came scampering towards him, and he glanced at his sister. ''Did I kill this person, Rin?'' he asked, his voice filled with panic. Rin blinked at him.

She dropped to her knees, next to Len, crawling up to the person's face. ''Please don't die,'' she begged, ''we're sorry! You can't die, whoever you are!'' she peered closer at the person Len had knocked down, then gasped, her hand going up to her mouth. ''Len! You killed Mikuo!'' she squealed, shaking her twin brother. Len flailed around helplessly, his panic worsening.

''Mikuo!'' they both stared back at him. ''We didn't mean to kill you,'' they pleaded, ''please, please, please wake up!'' Then Len took an even closer look at him...or, more accurately, Len looked at his whole body, rather than focusing on Mikuo's face alone. ''Rin? Since when did Mikuo have long hair...and wear a dress?'' he asked, confusion evident in his voice now. Rin blinked, staring down at Mikuo as well.

''So...this person isn't Mikuo?'' she asked. Len just shrugged, clambering up the person so that he was nose-to-nose with him. Her. The twins weren't very sure about this person's gender, at this point. ''If this person isn't Mikuo...'' Rin mused, ''then who could it possibly be?'' she rocked back on her heels, thinking long and hard about this stranger's possible identity. Len, on the other hand, was more concerned about whether or not he had just killed someone.

''Hello?'' he called, noticing that this person's eyelids were fluttering. ''Mikuo-with-long-hair-and-a-dress? Are you awake?'' the fluttering gave him a little thread of hope. Perhaps he hadn't killed someone, after all! The person groaned again, their eyes slowly opening to meet his. Those eyes were green, just like Mikuo's. Which was confusing Len a little.

''Ah...'' the other person spoke, making Len and Rin blink, ''you're a little bit heavy,'' he or she smiled. ''Do you mind getting off me?'' he or she added. Instantly, Len crawled off him or her, worry still flickering through him. He or she sat up, rubbing at his or her head, wincing a little. ''Sliding down those banisters can be really dangerous, you know! Especially for children!''

''Who are you?'' Rin asked, bouncing up to the person. His or her teal hair had fallen out of their elaborate hairstyle, so that their long hair pooled around them, on the floor. Len was starting to get the strange feeling that this was a girl. Or maybe it was Mikuo in a dress and a wig. Though, Len couldn't for the life of him imagine why Mikuo would want to wear that. ''Are you Mikuo?'' Rin added, before the person could answer. The person looked amused.

''No. I'm not. My name is Miku Hatsune,'' they laughed softly. It sounded like wind chimes, the kind that Len and Rin had in their room, back home. The twins insisted on sharing a room - they felt uncomfortable without the other's presence. ''I'm Mikuo's sister,'' she added, a tiny smile curving her lips. Len and Rin tilted their heads - they never knew Mikuo had a sister.

But they just took that in their stride - it didn't matter to them whether or not this girl was supposed to exist. To them, this just meant that they now had someone to play with. ''You seem really nice!'' Rin declared, peering at Miku intently. Miku blinked, looking rather startled.

Before she could say anything, Len chimed in with his own input. ''You're really pretty!'' he said, beaming. The twins exchanged a look, silently agreeing with whatever the other had just said. It was a twin thing, they claimed. This ability to sense what the other was thinking, without having to speak a single word.

''You're really, really nice and pretty!'' the twins chorused, coming closer to Miku. Miku just blinked some more, beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. This was the first time she had spoken to a pair of twins, and honestly, it was starting to make her feel a little giddy. The two of them were talking in-sync, too quickly for her to keep up, and she wondered whether this was something...normal. For twins. Was it?

''I am?'' she asked faintly, still feeling winded. The boy who had knocked her down had been...a little heavy, for her. She couldn't help feeling a little squashed, while he was sitting on her. ''Why, thank you,'' she smiled, albeit a little shyly. Miku wasn't quite as shy around children, compared to when she was with adults. There was just something about children which made her feel...comfortable, while around them.

''My name is Rin Kagamine!'' the girl said. She was cute, Miku thought - bright blue eyes, her fringe held away from her face with the help of hairpins. She was wearing an orange dress, with some black outlines here and there.

''My name is Len Kagamine!'' the boy beamed. He was cute too, his eyes just like his sister's. His golden-blond hair was tied into a small ponytail. He was wearing a white shirt, and a pair of brown shorts. It was a bit of a relief for Miku, to see someone not in formal wear.

''And we're twins!'' the pair exclaimed together, as if their similar appearance alone wasn't enough to indicate that. ''Do you want to play with us?'' Rin asked, looking at Miku with her large blue eyes. Miku blinked, unable to say no to those eyes - though her original intention had been to look for her parents. She knew Mikuo had told her to leave them alone, but she badly wanted to know what Luki wished to discuss with them...now that she was eighteen?

Miku was rather glad that she could escape the ball. It was rather frightening, coming across so many strangers - especially when her brother insisted that she greeted them. She had never been fond of socialising, especially since the only people she had ever spoken to before, other than her family...were the servants, as well as Luki and Luka. Luka was a good friend of hers, and Luki was her older brother.

Luka was younger than Miku by two years, but she seemed to know much more than Miku ever could...Miku realised that the twins were still waiting for a reply, and she smiled, nodding at them. ''Okay,'' she said cheerfully. ''What do you want to play, Rin?'' she patted the girl on her head. Rin giggled - Miku's smile widened. She was such a sweet, charming little girl.

''Hide and Seek!'' she announced, clapping her hands excitedly. ''It's no fun to play with Len, since he's no good at hide and seek,'' she pouted, earning herself an offended glare from her twin brother. ''Then Lenka never pays us any attention...and Rinto is always off, doing family things...'' at that point, the little girl sounded so morose that Miku wanted to hug her. She sounded so lonely. Just like herself.

''We'll play that, then,'' Miku pushed herself up, off the floor. The twins grinned at each other, then nodded, looking excited. She couldn't help being infected by their excitement - it had been a long time since she last played with children. She adored children a great deal, but most of the Hatsunes' servants were at least her age, now...only one or two remained who were younger than her. But they were still too old to play these kind of games, anymore...

''You two will hide,'' Miku said quietly, noticing how their blue eyes lit up with anticipation. ''But only on this floor, okay? You can't leave this passageway. At most, you can go up the stairs, to hide in the rooms on that floor. But nowhere else, okay?'' the twins nodded furiously, and Miku turned away. ''I'm going to count to ten now,'' she announced, giggling to herself.

''No peeking!'' that was Len, she thought. There was the sound of feet, shuffling across the carpet, and then all was quiet. Miku faced the wall, closing her eyes. She found that her lips were curved into a smile - these two were just so sweet and adorable. Though, she did wonder why they were here, and not in the ball - the guests weren't supposed to wander too far from the ballroom. These two had done that.

''One...'' she started. She wondered what her brother was doing now. Looking for her? He was very protective of her, she knew. She was actually grateful for that - Mikuo was like a guardian, to her. He protected her from the outside world, from everything which tried to hurt her. Especially the outside world. She couldn't stop herself from shivering, at the thought of the world outside her home...

''Two...'' she wished she wasn't so shy. She only wasn't shy around children. Children didn't expect you to behave in any special way - so long as you were kind to them, they were kind to you. That was why she loved children - they were innocent, and they weren't judgemental. But adults were different. Adults all wanted her to behave in some way. Adults always judged her based on how she acted. It was scary.

''Three...'' she didn't like her shyness, but try as she might, she couldn't make herself be...brave. She knew that she had disappointed Mikuo tonight. She didn't want to make him feel sad. He was her brother, after all, and they loved each other. But her shyness...she couldn't make herself speak to anyone, and she knew that was a disappointment to Mikuo. She promised that she would talk. She broke her promise.

''Four...'' well, the only person she really did say anything to, at the ball, would be that man...Lord Shion. The man with the navy hair and those piercing blue eyes. He was an extremely handsome man, she recalled. Too handsome. He was tall, and his features were perfect - he had greatly intimidated her, and when she greeted him, all she wanted to do was to hide behind Mikuo again. Lord Shion was scary.

''Five...'' the way he had stared at her, like he was assessing her...it made her wonder what he saw, when he looked at her. She wondered if he approved of her, or not. Maybe he didn't like what he saw. This was the first time she was out in public eye - the first time anyone, other than her family and the Megurines, saw who she was. Maybe she wasn't good enough. Maybe Lord Shion didn't think that she was worthy of being a Hatsune. She was just...too shy...

''Six...'' Miku hadn't wanted the ball. But her parents and brother all insisted, saying that she couldn't hide herself at home forever. That one day, she would have to see the world. They insisted on letting others talk to her, to let those of other noble families know that the Hatsunes _did _have a daughter. She knew that how she behaved was important - how she carried herself would reflect upon her family.

''Seven...'' what if she wasn't good enough? She knew that her family was important. Respected and prestigious. Had she ruined that image with her shyness? Had people glanced at her, then looked away, thinking that someone as weak and unassuming as her brought disgrace to her family name? She was so frightened - she didn't want to return to that ball, to feel all eyes upon her. Like...like she was an exotic animal.

''Eight...'' she could be brave. But how? How was she supposed to turn herself into someone like a Hatsune? Someone like...her brother? Mikuo was always ready for anything. Mikuo was strong, but he was gentle with her. Mikuo was bold and confident and everything she wished she could be. But wishes got her nowhere. She knew that since she was a child - that wishes were nothing but empty dreams and illusions.

''Nine...'' she wondered what Luki wanted to talk to her parents about. Why now? Why wait until she had turned eighteen? Luki and Luka had come to the Hatsune manor before, plenty of times. There had been hundreds of other opportunities to speak to her parents, so why did Luki wait until today? The day she finally turned eighteen? Luki rarely kept secrets from her...she assumed. This was very curious.

''Ten!'' she turned around, her gaze scanning the room. Almost at once, she understood what Rin meant about Len being bad at hide and seek - she could spot the young boy, hiding behind a potted plant, his blond hair obvious against the green of the leaves. Slowly, quietly, she went towards the plant, before she quickly brushed the leaves aside. ''Len! I found you,'' she sang.

The boy turned towards the sound of her voice, his hands covering his face. ''No, you didn't,'' the boy giggled. ''I'm covering my eyes. I can't see you, so you can't see me either!'' he declared, sounding proud of himself. Miku shook her head, smiling - she recalled thinking the same way as he did, back when she was a child. Believing that, by hiding behind her brother, all her troubles would fade away and disappear.

She reached out to ruffle his blond hair, and he yelped, batting her hands away. ''You found me,'' he pouted, cupping his cheeks in his hands. ''This is no fun,'' he complained. Miku just held her hand out, waiting, and reluctantly, the boy let her pull him up from behind the plant. ''Do you know where Rin is?'' Len asked her, holding on to her hand still. Miku shook her head.

So off they went, to search for the young girl. Rin was considerably better at hiding than her twin brother, and it took Miku a while to find out where Rin was hiding. The tealette stuck her head out from behind the door, placing a finger against her lips. Len nodded furiously, mirroring her own movement. Then, the two of them slid into the room Rin was hiding in.

She was hiding in the closet. Rin had carelessly left a bit of her dress sticking out from the gap between the doors, and Miku sneaked over to the closet, trying her best to make as little sound as possible. When she reached Rin's hiding spot, she flung the doors open, revealing the blonde in all of her glory. Rin puffed her cheeks out, a little disappointed that she had been caught, but hopped out anyway.

''That was so much more fun than playing with Len!'' Rin squealed, bouncing over to Miku. The little girl slung her arms around Miku's waist, nuzzling into her stomach. ''You're really nice!'' she said happily, repeating what she had said earlier. ''I don't ever want to go home,'' she continued, making Miku blink. ''I want to stay here and play with Miku!'' she decided.

''Rin, you can't stay here,'' Miku said slowly. ''You too, Len,'' she added, noticing the satisfied look on Len's face. At once, the boy's face fell. ''You have your own home to return to, and if you stay here, your parents are going to worry,'' Miku explained, though she was a little sad that she had to tell them all this. They pouted.

''But it's boring at home...'' Len whined, Rin nodding along with him. Miku wondered what else she could say - she couldn't help feeling a little sorry for these children. It was clear, from what Rin said earlier, that their siblings didn't care much for them. Not the same way her brother cared for her. Miku couldn't imagine not having her brother to rely on, all these years she was living in their home. Alone. Lonely.

Even now, she was still lonely, her only friends being Luki and Luka. Despite that, anything was better than stepping outside the manor. She didn't want to ever leave...no matter how lonely she became. But she was different from Rin and Len. The twins didn't want to lock themselves away, with no one but silence for company. It wasn't surprising that they minded loneliness so much. Even though they had each other...

''Miku!'' she looked around. Her brother burst into the passageway, a look of worry on his face. ''Thank the Lord I managed to find you!'' without another word, he rushed forward, pulling her into a hug. Miku blinked, feeling a little suffocated by his embrace. Mikuo was ridiculously protective of her - if she left his side for more than a minute, he started panicking, thinking that she had hurt herself. Or worse.

''Ah...Miku, you look just like him!'' Rin's words made her crane her neck, looking back at the twins. Rin and Len were gaping at her and Mikuo, as though they couldn't quite believe what they were seeing. At the sound of Rin's voice, Mikuo let go of her, his eyes narrowing fiercely at the twins. At once, the two of them cowered back, their expressions nervous.

''Did they hurt you?'' Mikuo demanded, looking over Miku, trying to find any signs of injury. Miku just sighed and shook her head - this was typical of her brother. Always thinking that, if he wasn't around, she would end up dealing herself grievous harm. She wondered why he thought this way. After all, Miku had never before displayed any tendency to hurt herself.

She neglected to mention that Len had almost suffocated her earlier, after he knocked her over - Mikuo would murder Len if he knew that. He was protective to that extent. Mikuo shot the twins a look, making them cling on to each other in fear - Miku had never seen her brother so terrifying before. Mainly because he treated her like she was made of porcelain. Like even a sharp look would break her into tiny shards.

''Go back to your brother,'' he said quietly. ''He's in the ballroom, searching for the both of you. And if you destroy the ball tonight, the same way you have terrorised all manner of other social functions, I will hunt you down.'' With a squeal, the Kagamine twins ran away from Mikuo, back in the direction of the ballroom. Miku stared at their retreating backs, missing the two children already. She sighed.

''Mikuo...you're really mean...'' she said aloud. Worry flitted across Mikuo's face, as he heard her words - he turned around, holding on to her shoulders carefully. Frightened that he would hurt her in some way, as usual. Miku really did appreciate her brother's care for her, but sometimes, his protectiveness got...frustrating. Especially since this overly protective side usually came out at all the wrong times.

''Why? Did I hurt your feelings in some way, sweetheart?'' he asked, his voice filled with nervousness. Miku just looked at him, then shook her head, sighing again. He frowned. ''Miku, why do you keep sighing? Did I do something wrong? Tell me,'' he wheedled.

''It's okay,'' she murmured. She glanced up at her teal haired brother, forcing a smile onto her face. ''Shall we go back to the ball?'' she asked, though that was the one thing she wished she didn't have to do. He nodded, relief taking the place of worry. Taking her hand, he gently led her down the passageway, back towards the ball. Back towards all the people she had to face...back to the place she didn't belong in.

She knew Mikuo would not let her go to look for their parents, after he had explicitly told her not to look for them in their room. So going back to the ball was the only way she could stop Mikuo from continuing in this zealously protective manner. ''We should mingle with the other guests,'' Mikuo now told her softly. ''You can do that, right? We're supposed to speak to the guests. To dance and have fun, at a ball. You did promise that you would try...try to mingle.''

''I did try,'' she muttered. Her brother looked at her, his green eyes pleading, and she could feel herself softening at the plea in those eyes. ''I will,'' she finally agreed. ''I promise that I'll try to speak more...to other people,'' she glanced down at the floor. He smiled, extending a hand to her. She looked at him, a little confused.

''Pinkie promise?'' he whispered. She smiled, then hooked her pinkie with his. He grinned back at her, then continued leading her down the passageway, towards the ballroom. Miku took in a deep breath, preparing herself for what was to come. Even if she disliked this, even if socialising with other adults was something which she feared, as much as she feared stepping outside of her home...

She did promise her brother. Even if she couldn't do this for herself, she would do this for him. She had pinkie promised him, after all.

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_**Solitaryloner: **__No mention of Kaito here. He'll appear in the next chapter. Well, since Kaito had one whole chapter without Miku, I think it's fair that Miku gets a full chapter, too._

_Maybe some people will be thinking that Mikuo likes Miku. You know, incest. Well, I don't know if anyone is thinking that way, but if there is...I'm keeping my mouth shut. You can assume what you want about how Mikuo feels about his sister. This secret, only I will know!_

_Reviews? Reviews are always appreciated._


	4. Chapter 4

All eyes settled curiously upon the pair of teal haired siblings, as they entered the ballroom.

Miku fidgeted, uncomfortable under the weight of all the stares she was receiving. She didn't like this - the way everyone seemed to pay so much attention to her. Judging her. Wondering who she was. As always, Mikuo sensed that she was uneasy, and he squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her. She smiled in response.

''Why don't you dance with Luki?'' Mikuo said softly, leaning down to whisper in her ear. ''They're playing your favourite song now, you know,'' he added, as though she hadn't known since the very moment she stepped into the ballroom. Miku played the violin, and she now recognised the piece the violinists were playing - like her brother said, it was her favourite.

''Luki?'' Miku echoed, glancing around the room. She couldn't see the pink haired lord anywhere. But that wouldn't be surprising. Luki was the son of Duke Megurine, and she knew that the Megurine family had a little royal blood in them. Suffice to say, Luki was usually busy, and he rarely stayed for long at most social events. She had to admit that this disappointed her.

''He went to look for you when he realised you were missing,'' Mikuo sounded amused. ''Of course, it didn't help that I was far from calm during that period, myself. Lord knows where he is, now. Why don't you go and mingle with the guests? I'll find him - there's something the two of us need to discuss, anyway,'' Mikuo shot her a careless grin, stepping away from her.

Before she could protest, her brother turned and dove into the crowd, leaving her alone. She swallowed, suddenly struck by an unexplainable sense of claustrophobia. She had never seen so many people at once, before. Nervously, she started to fiddle with the heavy silk of her dress - picking at her dress was something she did whenever she was feeling...scared. Her mother had asked her to cease doing that many times before, but Miku simply couldn't stop herself.

''Now, it just isn't right for a lovely lady such as yourself to have no one to accompany her, on this fine night,'' Miku turned swiftly, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. A familiar navy haired man smiled down at her..._Lord Kaito Shion. _The man she had greeted, earlier. She knew of him. He had not been born into the aristocratic class. How he amassed enough wealth to become a noble...she had no idea.

''Ah...Lord Shion,'' she managed to stammer out, giving him a hasty, clumsy little curtsey. ''I-I feel most flattered by your words,'' she said, out of politeness - for she knew that his comment had been made out of politeness, as well. After all, she was far from being a lovely lady. ''Are you...are you enjoying yourself?'' she added quickly, remembering her promise to Mikuo.

_Mingle and talk to the other guests. _The lord before her tilted his head, arching an eyebrow. Then he smiled. ''How could anyone possibly not enjoy a ball hosted by the Hatsunes?'' he asked, making her blush a little. She wondered why he was complimenting her and her family so much. Was it a social necessity? ''Though, it would be better if all of the guests - including myself, of course - could see your pretty face more.''

Her blush deepened. ''Truly, Lord Shion, your compliments are unnecessary. I know that I am not a very pretty girl, so there is actually no need to flatter me simply because it is my birthday today,'' she kept her gaze fixed to the floor, not daring to look up and meet his dark blue eyes. She heard a soft chuckle. Was he laughing at her? At how silly she was, maybe?

''If you think that I am lying, then you're sorely mistaken,'' the aristocrat was still laughing softly, but his words made her look up at him. ''You are a stunning girl, Lady Miku, and do not ever think otherwise about yourself,'' he appeared to be serious. She drew back slightly, startled by his words. Miku had never thought of herself as stunning before. In fact, she thought that for a noble, she was quite...plain.

Her hair was an odd shade of green-blue. Her eyes were dull green, and they looked rather boring to her. She was of average height and of average proportions. She was not ugly, but she was no flawless beauty either. Unlike her brother...Mikuo shared the same features as her, but on him, they looked...good. His teal hair and green eyes were like hers, yet different.

Mikuo was handsome. Miku was plain. They were siblings, with almost the same set of features, yet Mikuo was attractive, and she was not. Miku's only friend, Luka Megurine, was very beautiful as well, with her long, flowing pink hair and her crystalline blue eyes. Luka was tall and womanly, despite her age. She had the full-bodied figure of a woman. Whereas Miku...

Miku was two years older than Luka, but she had no figure whatsoever. Where other women had curves, she was nothing but straight, flat lines. She knew that, one day, she would be expected to marry - but she had to wonder if any aristocrat would be willing to propose to her, given her astounding lack of beauty.

She struggled to think of a good reply to Lord Shion's words. ''Thank you?'' was the only thing she could come up with. The lilt at the end of the phrase made it sound more like a question, as opposed to the statement it was supposed to be. He smiled in response, a small smile which made her cheeks warm again. She could not say that Lord Shion was not a handsome man.

Miku wondered why someone as handsome as Lord Shion would want to speak her, when she was anything but gorgeous. They were leagues apart, and she knew it. Did he simply pity her? Or was he, like everyone else, curious about where she came from? This was the first time the other aristocrats had ever seen her, after all. ''I was wondering whether you would be willing to dance with me?'' his smile widened.

She blinked, startled by what he just said. ''Me?'' she said hesitantly, looking around to ensure that he was still talking to her. He couldn't be asking _her _to dance, could he? When this room was filled with lovely ladies. They were all so beautiful, and she was so plain in comparison. Maybe he was asking her to dance because she was the birthday girl...Miku held back a sigh.

''Who else could it be?'' he replied, his intense blue eyes boring a hole right into her. She bit her lip, yet another annoying habit she had cultivated over the years. ''In all honesty, Lady Miku, I've been wanting to ask you for a dance from the very moment I laid eyes upon you,'' the handsome lord reached out for her hand, raising it to his lips. She froze, stunned by his actions. He was...he had just kissed her hand.

Instantly, she drew away from him, unused to this kind of contact. The lord stared at her, his dark blue eyes filled with curiosity, and Miku glanced away from him. His gaze was so intent and penetrating, like he could read her mind or such. Like...he knew everything about her, with just one simple look. It was silly of her to feel that way, but...he was just so intimidating.

Nevertheless, she didn't want to turn him down. Mikuo had made her promise to mingle with the guests, and if she agreed to dance with this man, she would be keeping to her promise. ''Um...it would be a pleasure...to dance with you, Lord Shion,'' she managed to stammer out, averting her gaze from him. He laughed quietly. She wondered if he was laughing at her.

''I'm honoured,'' was all he said, before he gently took hold of her hand, leading her to the middle of the ballroom, where all the waltzing couples were. Miku swallowed, reaching up to place her hand on his shoulder, her other hand linked with his. She was thankful that she at least knew how to dance, or she would have looked like a complete fool in front of him.

She just hoped that she wouldn't step on his toes. The only person she had ever practised dancing with was Mikuo, and he once said that Miku had 'two left feet, and no sense of rhythm whatsoever'. Was she really that bad a dancer? At least she knew what were the basic steps for most ballroom dances. Her mother said that, even if Miku refused to leave the house, she still had to learn how to dance, like a young lady.

She wasn't really paying attention to the dance, lost in her thoughts as she was, and Kaito hid a tiny smirk, watching her green eyes glaze over. He wondered what she was thinking about, this slender maiden with the long teal hair and deep emerald dress. She truly was quite the stunning beauty, but she didn't seem to think of herself that way. It was all quite fascinating to him.

He had seen all manner of young ladies before. Preening and smiling as he plied them with compliments. They might deny that they were beautiful, but he never missed the sly glimmer of satisfaction that shone in their eyes, when he said they were lovely or stunning or anything of the like. This girl...that glimmer was missing. In fact, when he complimented her, she seemed to be genuinely flustered. It was very strange.

Did no one ever tell her how startlingly lovely she was? Did she grow up believing that she was...plain? Kaito could see why she would think she was plain - in comparison to most of the women here, with their shapely figures and heavily made-up faces, she seemed to be more child than adult. But her slender curves were not any less appealing than Meiko's full-bodied charms, and her natural, youthful beauty...

It was a very welcome change from the gaudy make-up he was accustomed to. She was such a graceful little creature, with her innocent green eyes and shy smile. He found it a surprise that more men were not hankering after her. Or perhaps that was due to the fact that she was missing for quite a while, earlier. He was wondering where she went, since he had not seen her distinctive teal hair anywhere.

''You know, Lady Miku,'' he started, in a bid to find out more about her, ''I was wondering...did you ever think about what you would do, now that you are eighteen and no longer considered a minor? After all, most ladies your age would be looking for a suitable husband,'' he smiled at her. The tealette blinked up at him, confusion entering her clear green gaze. She hesitated.

''Marriage...'' she finally said, her voice little more than a whisper. ''I never thought about it, Lord Shion,'' her cheeks flushed a soft shade of rosy pink, and she glanced away from him. ''My parents will arrange for me to marry someone they find suitable, I suppose,'' she mumbled. ''I don't really mind, myself. So long as the man treats me well...I don't really mind who it is.''

He blinked, startled. She didn't mind? But...was she not interested in seeking out her happiness, and all the other things young maidens dreamt about? _She's very meek and submissive, isn't she. _''Don't you want to search for a man you would truly love, or anything like that?'' he asked, his tone disbelieving. ''After all, this is a serious matter...after you marry, you will have to face this husband every day, you know.''

''I know,'' she remained silent for a while. Finally, she sighed, giving him a resigned smile. ''But it doesn't matter in the end, does it?'' she asked. ''My parents will decide who they want me to marry, so there is no point in seeking my own love or happiness. I know that...they expect me to marry a wealthy man, someone with many connections, to maintain our family wealth.''

''You seem like you've already accepted your fate,'' he said slowly, meeting her gaze. She simply smiled, looking away from him once more. Kaito hid a frown. If that was the way she thought...then there was no point working with her. It would be better if he just went straight to her parents, and told them that he was interested in courting her. Given that she herself scarcely seemed interested in this...

''There's no point in struggling against it,'' she murmured. ''If my parents demand that I marry someone, I cannot disobey them. They are my parents, after all. In this case, it would be for the best if I remained neutral and disinterested, no? Besides...given my looks, Lord Shion,'' she glanced down at the floor, ''I would be very thankful if anyone actually deigned to marry me. No young lord would want my hand.''

''That is untrue, Lady Miku,'' Kaito blinked at her, wondering whether she was joking. She was a stunning girl - she would have suitors lining up to propose to her, and he had no idea why she would think otherwise. ''I, for one, would like to ask for the Lady's hand in marriage...but only if you would let me,'' a slow smirk curved his lips as he said those words. The lady gasped.

''I...'' her voice trailed off. ''You truly flatter me, Lord Shion,'' was all she finally said, her pale cheeks flaming. At that moment, the song ended, and immediately the girl pulled away from him, giving him a deep curtsey. ''Thank you for the dance, Lord Shion,'' she murmured, before she turned and glided away, losing herself in the crowds. Kaito sighed to himself.

She was so shy. Even more shy than Pika was. And that was troublesome. It was harder to flatter the shy ones, since they always drew away from compliments, believing that he was just trying to humour them - which he was, in a way, but he couldn't afford to let them know that. Besides...he turned away from the dance floor. She really was a beauty, this maiden.

If only she could believe that she was as pretty as any other girl in this ball, tonight. He would have to work harder if he wanted to obtain her affections. She didn't care about who she ended up marrying, which made the difficult task of seducing her even harder than it already was. Maybe he should start by charming the Lord and Lady Hatsune. They were the ones who would decide who their little daughter would marry.

_This is so troublesome..._''So how did it go?'' he heard a familiar voice ring out, behind him. At once, he turned around - there was Earl Kamui, standing next to the fountain, a little distance away from Kaito himself. He raised a wine glass at him, smirking, and Kaito shook his head. Making his way over to the purple haired earl, he stood next to him, brushing his black dress jacket free of imaginary lint.

''It went fine,'' he said shortly, beckoning to one of the roaming waiters. At once, the man came to him, and Kaito took a glass of wine from his tray, inclining his head in acknowledgement. The waiter went on his way. ''It...this will take longer than I anticipated, though. Her shyness and meekness prove to be bigger obstacles than I had thought,'' he sipped at his glass.

''I did say that this might not be as easy as you thought it would be,'' Gakupo said jovially, his blue eyes roaming the ballroom. ''Luka has been staring in this direction for quite a while, I wonder why,'' the earl added, frowning a little. Kaito followed his gaze - true enough, the pink haired beauty was staring at them, her light blue eyes wide. Kaito just looked away.

He had no business with the Megurine family. They were Gakupo's friends, not his. Kaito had no relations with any noble families, other than trade connections. Most noblewomen nursed a grudge of some sort against him, though it was tempered by the lingering feelings many of them still had for him. All in all, it was a strange love-hate relationship they all shared with him, and Kaito wasn't interested in the slightest.

Though...he knew that the Megurine family were good friends with the Hatsunes, and that might prove to be a disadvantage for him. The son of that family, Luki Megurine - who could not stand Kaito, incidentally - was interested in marrying Miku Hatsune. And if that was the case, it just meant he had a competitor. And Luki would have an advantage over him, since the Hatsunes knew the Megurines better.

Kaito wasn't exactly fond of political games. It could get terribly messy. And bloody at times. The world of politics was undeniably dangerous, and he tended to keep out of it as much as he could. But, unless he started dabbling around in that world, Luki Megurine would have a clear path to marrying Miku Hatsune. And of course, Kaito couldn't allow such a thing to happen.

If he could marry into the Hatsune family, he would have access to their wealth. And one thing the Hatsunes were famous for was their immense fortune. He would not just stand by and watch the Megurine upstart take all of it away from him. So long as she was unmarried, he had a chance to cement his position within the nobility, and he would use that chance.

''I think she likes you. She keeps looking at you,'' Kaito murmured to Gakupo. The young daughter of the Megurine family had yet to look away from them. Gakupo turned, glancing at the pink haired maiden - at once, Luka looked away from them, turning to face another lady. Kaito smirked knowingly at Gakupo, but the earl just shrugged, looking less than interested by this.

''She's too young for me,'' he said simply. ''I'm seven years older than her. She's little more than a child,'' Gakupo finished the rest of his wine, shooting the wine fountain behind him a suspicious stare. ''I would refill my glass with wine from this fountain, but I heard rumours that the Kagamine brats had paddled in here before, so I'd prefer not to do such a thing.''

''I think they were trying to do so, but Mikuo Hatsune dragged them out of the ballroom before they could actually jump inside it,'' Kaito offered, his gaze drifting idly across the room. Speaking of Mikuo Hatsune, where was the young lord? He hadn't seen him since the lord brought his sister back to the ballroom. In the end, Kaito just shrugged. Mikuo didn't matter all that much to him - only his little sister did.

He wondered what Miku Hatsune thought of him now, after the dance they shared. She wasn't someone who enjoyed compliments all that much, evidently. Should he change his tactics? But then whatever he did with her did not matter...the only opinions which mattered would be those of her parents'. She herself had already said that. He should save the effort.

Then he would seek out the Hatsune nobles later. After all, the young lord Mikuo Hatsune had already hinted at why his parents were not here at the ball, greeting their guests personally. It would be rather...unwise to look for them now. Perhaps later, when they were finished with whatever it was they were doing. Feeling bored, Kaito swirled his glass around.

The burgundy liquid was so tart and bitter. He wondered why he enjoyed red wine. The liquid itself was bitter and dry, so unlike the sweet, honeyed compliments that normally rolled off his tongue. Perhaps the wine reflected who he really was, on the inside. Bitter. The main, only reason why he enjoyed the taste of wine. Because the bitterness of wine reminded him of who he truly was.

Sweet lies and beguiling promises. Those were the only words he knew how to say. He could never reveal the truth about how he felt - the women he spoke to wanted to feel flattered, wanted to feel good about themselves, no matter how much he stretched the truth or twisted his words. So he gave them the lies they so sought. He gave them anything they wanted to hear, in exchange for his desires...

Maybe this time, it would be different. He no longer had to lie to this girl, since she didn't apparently care for the sweet words he gave her. If he didn't have to lie...lying was the only thing he knew how to do, truly. If he was not capable of doing such a thing in this case, would he be able to succeed? Honestly, he couldn't be sure. Luki was a fierce rival, that he knew...

But he thought that the challenge might actually interest him, for once. His life was settling into a familiar pattern - lie. Seduce. Cheat and flee. It was getting boring. Bothersome, even. For once, there was the added thrill of competition, the spark that came with the possibility of losing, and that spark made him feel interested. Far more interested than he had felt in a long time. He wondered if this was a good thing.

Well, in the end, it didn't matter. So long as he got to his goals, nothing ever mattered.

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_**Solitaryloner: **A shorter__ than usual chapter! But hey, at least I updated~ review desu?_


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